KATHMANDU, May 31: An innovative campaign called ENOUGH has been launched to eradicate child malnutrition and hunger in Nepal.
The three-year campaign announcement was made during a program in Kathmandu as part of a joint project by World Vision International and the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters Nepal (ACORAB).
National Director of World Vision International Nepal, Roslyn Hanson Gabriel, stated that since 2001, World Vision has been working for the welfare of children in Nepal, with special attention to protecting children's rights and improving nutrition and health.
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Gabriel explained that the ENOUGH campaign primarily aims to ensure children's nutrition by supporting the Nepal government's programs and efforts to end child hunger and malnutrition. This campaign will help fulfill the country's commitment to achieving sustainable development goals and national priorities such as the multi-sectoral nutrition plan.
World Vision International Nepal has committed 1.7 million US dollars to support the Nepal government in combating child hunger and malnutrition.
The campaign was announced by the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, 2023, to ensure the right to food and nutrition for children who are starving and malnourished worldwide. One in every eight households faces food insecurity, and one in every four children is unable to reach their full potential in both brain and body due to a lack of a healthy diet.
A three-year campaign has been officially launched in collaboration with World Vision International Nepal and ACORAB. Children, representatives of various concerned bodies, government representatives, officials of relevant ministries, MPs, office bearers of constitutional bodies, donors and international NGOs, civil society, nutritionists, journalists, and representatives of partner organizations participated in the program.
The campaign will prioritize key areas, including access to nutritious food and supplements for children in schools and communities. It will focus on increasing adequate and exclusive breastfeeding, child growth monitoring, and collaboration with the government to improve nutrition-friendly local governance, and advocating for an increased budget to address child hunger and malnutrition.
World Vision International Nepal stated that the program will focus on improving the health of 10.7 million at-risk children by 2025. This program will be conducted in 53 municipalities across 16 districts in Nepal.
Addressing the function, Minister for Women, Children, and Senior Citizens Bhagawati Chaudhary emphasized that special care should be taken right from pregnancy to protect children from malnutrition. She stated that the problem of malnutrition hinders development, so families, society, and the state should join hands against it.
She also mentioned that this year's government budget emphasizes eating local foods because children from poor economic backgrounds are at risk of malnutrition. This is expected to have a positive effect.
